The Great North Paddle will take place on Saturday 24th September 2016 on the River Tyne in Newcastle. The event is being organised by Paddlesport Events on behalf of the NE RDT.

Starting at Scotswood Bridge a group of Kayakers and Canoeists will paddle 13.5 miles through Newcastle on route to the finish at Simonside Centre, in an attempt to raise over £30,000 for a variety of good causes.

Importantly this event is not a race and those wishing to take part should be experienced and possess the appropriate skills to paddle the distance as part of a group. The minimum requirement to take part in this event is a BCU 3* or equivalent experience. For tandem canoes one of the crew must be at the 3* standard. Paddlers must be able to swim fifty meters wearing a buoyancy aid.

The Great North Paddle will provide sea kayakers and canoeists with the opportunity to raise money for causes that are close to their hearts by paddling the 13.5 mile distance along the historic River Tyne.

Event route:

Launching from Derwenthaugh Sea Cadets, the Great North Paddle will head East towards Newcastle city centre passing the iconic Swing Bridge, Tyne Bridge and Millennium bridge on route to the finish at the Simonside Centre.

Registration:

Please fill in the online registration document available on the website. You must read the event rules and the regulations before you register, which can also be found on the website. You will need to print off and fill out a participant consent form and bring it with you to the event registration at Derwenthaugh Sea Cadets.

Registration fee:

£15 for a single entry

£25 for a tandem team

The registration fee will secure you your place on the water and a certificate of completion to assist in collecting sponsorship monies from any donors.

In order to take part in the event, each participant must complete a registration form. Entry fees are payable through PayPal on the Payments page located under the Great North Paddle tab.

Please Note:

Under 18’s are to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, taking part in the Great North Paddle, who must also sign the Disclaimer of Liability form to be handed in at registration on the day of the event.

Along with the entry fee, participants of the Great North Paddle are required to raise a suggested amount of £100 for their chosen Charity or Club

Refunds for cancelled entries will only be permitted if notification is given less than one month prior to the event date.

Experience required:

Participants should be experienced and possess the appropriate skills to paddle the distance as part of a group. The minimum requirement to take part in this event is a BCU 3* or equivalent experience. For tandem canoes one of the crew must be at the 3* standard. Paddlers must be able to swim fifty meters wearing a buoyancy aid.

Times and Locations:

Time:

Location:

Registration

8:15am to 10:00am

Derwenthaugh Sea Cadets

Boat Checks

8:15am to 10:00am

Derwenthaugh Sea Cadets

Shuttle

9:15am leaves South shields

Simonside Centre

Briefing

10:15am

Derwenthaugh Sea Cadets

Launch

10:30am

Derwenthaugh Sea Cadets

Start

11:00am

Derwenthaugh Sea Cadets

Finish

15:00pm

Simonside Centre

Soup and celebrations

15:00-17:00pm

Simonside Centre

Car Parking:

20 spaces, £3 per day

Harbour Drive North River Drive

South Shields,

Tyne and Wear

NE33 1LH

120 spaces, £3 per day

Harbour Drive South

River Drive

South Tyneside

Tyne and Wear

NE33 2LF

Equipment:

Only suitable vessels that are capable of maintaining 3kn/6kph pace over the period of the event shall be allowed to enter. The minimum length of kayak is 14ft and the minimum length of canoe is 16ft. Sea kayaks require deck lines and sealed bulkheads front and rear. You should wear suitable clothing for the prevailing conditions on the day and buoyancy aids are compulsory. We recommend the use of drinking bladders over water bottles as this allows participants to drink while maintaining speed.

Charities:

The main purpose of the event is to raise money for good causes. You can easily create your own donation site and share it with us using www.virginmoneygiving.com or a similar site such as Just Giving. You are welcome to raise money for a charity of your choice or for your club. Between all of us we hope to raise over £30,000 for a variety of good causes.

Car parking and shuttle:

You will need to drop your kayaks or canoes at the start at Derwenthaugh Sea Cadets and then drive to the finish at Simonside Centre. There will then be a shuttle service to bring you back to the start. This will mean that your vehicle will be at the finish for you to depart when you like and you will not have to go back to the start location. There is also accommodation at the finish near the Simonside Centre.

Third party Insurance:

All participants are required to have third party liability insurance. If you are a BC member then your annual membership will cover this. Also if you are a member of a BC affiliated club you are covered at this event. If you are not a BC member or part of a BC club then you will need to pay £5 to be covered by the BC for the day. This can be paid at registration on the day.

Photography:

We will have professional photographer on the support boat to take photographs which will be available on the website to download after the event.